


She's Just a Friend

by AlwaysACuteMess



Series: Dream With Me [4]
Category: Game Grumps
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt and comfort, Romance, private lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-08
Updated: 2018-02-08
Packaged: 2019-03-15 09:58:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13610970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlwaysACuteMess/pseuds/AlwaysACuteMess
Summary: Dan's private life is private. Something you just have to make peace with.





	She's Just a Friend

It was early, _correction_ , far too early in the morning when you awoke in Dan’s childhood home, he still dozing beside you. The sun hadn’t come up, but your alarm was going off regardless and you knew if you let it go on any longer, it really _would_ wake Dan up, and not in a pleasant manner. So instead of letting him bolt upright and think he had somewhere to be (even if you did), you turned over, away from his warmth and the comfort of his arms, and felt around until you could slide it off your homescreen. Finally the room was quiet again.

Almost entirely too tempting was the idea of falling back asleep, especially as you turned back the other away and his arms automatically enveloped you, leading you closer even in his sleep. As your head nestled against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, the calm breathing above you, you did lose a couple minutes- five… ten… fifteen… and then without the service of an alarm, it was you who bolted upright upon noticing the first lightening of dawn peeking through the window.

This unfortunately disturbed Dan who only groaned, reaching up to pat your back, soothing his hand up over the bare skin of your shoulder. No words as you took his hand in yours, pressing a kiss to the back. Chancing settling again, this time aside him instead of in the dangerous warm zone, brushing his curls back away from his face and touching your hands gently over his cheeks. Watching him go from asleep, to half asleep, and then as his eyes opened a quarter, unable to help returning that sleepy smile on his lips. “What time is it?” Entirely too much gravel in his low, bassy, morning tone, setting off a heat in you that would have to be ignored for hours to come.

“Fifteen minutes past the alarm.” Telling him the truth, knowing he knew immediately why that was. Sometimes it was just too easy to fall back asleep. Who could blame you?

Nodding, he reached a hand up, rubbing at his eyes, then his hair, sliding halfway up. “Are we in trouble?” Only after asking, stretching both arms up with a tight but satisfied moan as he woke his muscles up.

“Nah. We’ll just have to take shorter showers.” The flight home wasn’t for a handful of hours, so things would be okay, but rushing through a morning routine, especially when it involved saying goodbye to his family was one of the worst things imaginable.

Still, that was exactly what had to happen, especially as fifteen minutes went by while the two of you decided snuggling for a few minutes more couldn’t be that bad. Ultimately, it really wasn’t, but it left you even more shorter on time. Resisting his cuddles was too much to ask of any human being. You couldn’t be at fault here.

Showers taken, dried off, clothes on, bags packed again, it was only as you were standing in the doorway saying goodbye with hugs and kisses for what felt like the hundredth time (still not enough), that you finally realized it was snowing. Only lightly- _here_ \- the word came into your mind just as your phone blipped. A notification from the airline that the flight was delayed just a couple hours. You couldn’t imagine how much worse it was in the city, but there really was no waiting to find out, especially as your cab pulled up.

You and Dan both wished his family a loving goodbye, promising to come back as soon as possible. He’d been venturing to see and stay with them on the east coast more often now than ever before, something that did him a world of good. Sometimes you went, sometimes you didn’t, but the outcome was always good no matter what (even if you did miss him when he was gone). The drive would only be about an hour, although perhaps a little longer now, but you relished in the chance to snuggle up in the backseat with him once the bags were in the trunk and you were off.

The driver, thankfully, was not a chatty sort, perhaps too early in the morning, and at least she had good taste in music, some soft 80s station playing gently up front. Dan put his arm around you, his other hand taking the nearest one of yours sitting in your lap, just tracing his fingers over yours, over the back, and then turning your hand over to draw aimless lines on your palm. Sometimes hushed hums would come from him, sometimes he just seemed focused on daydreaming, but you knew it was these small moments that you really treasured the most.

“Um- hey- Lauren?” He interrupted the serenity of the car to call to your Lyft driver who glanced in the rear-view briefly with an upturned lilt to let him know she was listening. “Do you think you could drop us off somewhere else? Can I modify the trip? Or is that illegal?” Grinning lightly with an equally light giggle.

She smiled back, another flash of her eyes in the mirror. “You can, just pull up the app and update the destination. Where to, by the way?”

Pressing a kiss to your temple, accompanied by a little nuzzle, politely and quietly, “Can I have your phone?” You had no idea what he was up to but you couldn’t exactly deny him, not with the way he was making your skin tingle and the fact that whatever he had in mind couldn’t possibly be bad. So you handed it over to him and walked him through changing the route. “Central Park, actually. Is that okay?”

“Oh, yeah! We’re close.” With the routes updated, it really only took a few more minutes until she pulled on the curb near Central Park on the east side. It was snowing a little bit harder than it had been in Jersey, but still not heavy enough for you to start questioning your beau’s sanity.

The pair of you thanked your driver and took your (thankfully) small bags from the trunk, walking from the curb, just a light guidance with his arm around your shoulder, something that woefully did not last. You already knew why. Going into his carry on (the almost ever-present traveling backpack he wore), he pulled out an umbrella, popping it and holding it over the both of you. “Did you have a romantic, snowy walk through the park in mind the whole time?” It was difficult to tell which loving excursions he planned and which ones sort of just happened when the time was right.

His smile said it all. “Well, with the flight delayed and LaGuardia not too far, I thought why not? It’s pretty here when it snows.”

“Do you want me to schedule another Lyft?” Unable to help but ask, wanting to make sure all your ducks were in a row.

But he just shook his head, giving you a little bump with his shoulder. “Let’s enjoy this, first. We can worry about that later.”

Giving his arm a tug, he eased down just a bit, allowing you to press a light kiss to his cheek. Something simple and sweet and inoffensive, you thought. “Thank you.” For pretty much anything and everything, but most of all just being his sweet, loving self.

The park was extremely gorgeous with the light snow just having started only a little while ago, not giving it a chance to really pile up or get muddy on the ground. There were the usual (absolutely nuts) runners, a few people just going about their morning routines, heads down, hands in pockets. No couples that you could see. Somehow that made it all the more special. Venturing beneath a heavy canopy, you didn’t notice that the protection of the umbrella had been absent for more than a few moments, instead more preoccupied with your head turned skywards, watching the flakes fall between the trees. Only after turning to the side to smile at him again did you realize he was no longer there, and your head turned from one side to the other before you led yourself all the way around.

He was standing a few feet back, umbrella laying over his shoulder, hair a wild handsome mess as usual, smiling at you like he’d never loved anyone the way he did you. At least that’s what it felt like, the way it made you feel seeing him look at you the way he was, eyes warm and smile warmer. You didn’t mind telling yourself that it was true. “What?” Called back to him, only slightly embarrassed he caught you in your childlike wonder of _snow_ of all things.

His smile widened, a little shake of his head. “Nothing. Just you.” There were more words than he may ever have been able to speak in just those three, but you believed you understood them all.

“Why not just the both of us?” Offering your hand out, something he giggled at, his expression moving into a lopsided grin.

In the process of making just the two-of-you, in your mind’s eye a perfect moment of looking up at the snow before sharing a sheltered kiss under the safety of his umbrella, his name came from beyond the both of you and it sent you cold. “Hey- hey Danny!” Calling him with familiarity despite the fact that Dan clearly had no idea who the gentleman approaching was. Young kid, maybe in his early twenties. You already knew what this was. “I thought that was you! Hey man, hey!”

Dan’s smile was nonetheless genuine despite the interruption and when the guy held his hand out for a highfive, Dan reciprocated (no doubt thankful he was wearing gloves, not that his fans were dirty or anything, but germs were often a very silent killer). “Hey man, what’s up?”

“Oh god, I never thought I’d meet you like this! I’m a huge fan! My name’s Jake, I’m- dude like _such_ a huge fan! What are you doing in the city? This is crazy!”

You stood aside, awkwardly so, as they talked, assuming a position that you hoped was neutral. The kid was fixated on Dan, it shouldn’t have been too much of a problem. They talked for a couple minutes more before he unfortunately (yet kindly somehow) noticed you were standing not that far away. “Is- are you hanging out? Man I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt! I’ll get going but how about a selfie?” Pulling out his phone. However, now that he’d spotted you, he seemed to be _full_ of ideas. “Is that uh- is she-?”

Dan looked over at you, a solemnness to his eyes only you were capable of catching. Your own named sounded foreign the way he was saying it now and you had to force yourself to tune back in. “-she’s a good friend of mine.”

“Oh. Cool. Do you wanna be in the picture?” This, a sure death sentence and the tenseness in Dan’s figure put you off immediately.

“That’s okay! I’m not really big on social media. I can take the picture for you though if you want!” Being as friendly as possible so as to not throw any red flags.

It worked like a charm. “That’d be great! Thanks!” He offered you the phone and you stood back, holding it horizontally as the kid slung an arm around Dan’s shoulder and threw up devil horns. Dan did his best pout with the same gesture.

“Are you an NSP fan or a Game Grumps fan?”

“Game Grumps- not so Grump for life!”

“Okay, on the count of three, everyone say _Arin sucks at video games_!” This got a smile out of Dan and a half giggle while the kid said it excitedly verbatim. You took a couple shots and handed the phone back. He looked over them immediately. “Awesome! So cool! I can’t wait to tell everyone on reddit!”

Dan held up a hand. “Hey, could you actually wait a couple hours before posting that? I’d really appreciate it.” As was the rule of thumb with most pictures he took with fans. And for very good reason.

The kid seemed discouraged but not entirely unenthused. “Oh. Yeah, man. No problem. You got it. It was great meeting you!”

“You, too! Thank you!” The two waved to each other and the kid trotted off, but while the two of you turned your backs to him, you felt his gaze. Watching. Maybe taking a few sneak pictures but Dan’s umbrella hid anything interesting from the lens and you made yourself stand an amicable length away from him.

After that you put in another request for a Lyft to take you to the airport. Things got quiet. Like they always did when things like this happened. Small talk felt forced. And once you were finally through the gate, bags checked, sitting down, Dan frowned. The worst look he could give you. “I understand if you’re mad...”

“I’m not mad.” You weren’t. There was very little, if anything, that Dan could do that would make you angry. This was… something else.

“I know it’s...” He struggled and you reached forward, giving his hands a gentle pat before putting them back in your own lap.

“I understand, Dan. We’ve been dating for a while now. This wasn’t the first time. It won’t be the last.”

 _She’s a friend._  
_She’s a good friend._  
_Oh, one of my lady friends told me the funniest thing the other day!_

To all the world that listened to him, you’d only ever be just a friend. And that was the way it had to be. It was for his own satisfaction as much as your protection. And you had to make peace with that. His fanbase was scary enough as it was. You’d seen them go after his other so called lady friends, blasting their social medias with disgusting, rude questions.  
  
_Are you banging? You should!_

This part of his private life was just that. _**Private.**_ You didn’t mind being a part of that. You loved him. Terribly so. More than you’d loved anyone else. So you made yourself understand that and respected it. It was easier on the both of you, anyway. ...technically speaking. But still. Little moments like that stung sometimes. It wasn’t easy to explain, in fact it felt childish. You hated feeling that way knowing how _he_ felt. What he wanted- wanted his life to be. Which was his.

He wanted you to be his. Quietly.

And so you were.

When in public you didn’t show much affection just in case someone was taking pictures, or looking on, and there had been many cases where you’d seen people pointing phones in his direction without his knowledge. Sometimes they’d come over. Sometimes they wouldn’t. You couldn’t really understand the way his status made people act sometimes. It was beyond you. Just as treating him with decency was beyond them.

“I owe so much to them. And I know it’s hard.” He tried to walk through his feelings, gazing at you, his hand resting over yours. “But I don’t owe them you.”

Despite yourself, you smiled. He really did love you. And you really did love him. “I know.” And, for what it was worth, “I’m glad.”

One day you wouldn’t be just his lady friend.  
But you knew that day was far, _far_ away.  
You just had to make peace with that until then.  
Easy to do in the comfort of your own home, in his arms again.

**Author's Note:**

> ( ｰ̀εｰ́ )


End file.
